MORE than a third of the legislation promised by Governor Chris Patten in his policy address last year has yet to be tabled in the Legislative Council - and there are only seven weeks left before the legislature dissolves.
Mr Patten pledged last October to introduce 56 'main pieces of legislation' in the session that ends on July 26.
Twenty-four bills have yet to be presented. They include the Court of Final Appeal Bill held up by protracted negotiations with China, but now due next week.
Critical legislators said Mr Patten's administration was inefficient and accused the delay in tabling the bills of holding back Hong Kong.
While most of the outstanding bills relate to the less politically sensitive issues of trade, industry and finance, some involve major decisions like regulating estate agents and strengthening workers' rights.
A government spokesman said: 'We have done our best to achieve the programme.' She said the number of the bills was unimportant; what was important was the passage of those which were presented.